EP20K400EBC652-3N - APEX 20KE FPGA, 400K Gates, 488 I/O BGA | Intel
MPN: EP20K400EBC652-3N ⚠ Last Time Buy| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $285 | $285.00 |
| 10 | $256.5 | $2,565.00 |
| 100 | $228 | $22,800.00 |
| 500 | $199.5 | $99,750.00 |
| 1,000 | $171 | $171,000.00 |
EP20K400EBC652-3N Overview
An FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) is a semiconductor device containing configurable logic blocks (CLBs), programmable interconnects, and I/O cells that can be re-programmed after manufacturing to implement arbitrary digital logic. FPGAs occupy a position in the programmable logic hierarchy: PLD -> CPLD -> FPGA -> SoC FPGA. The APEX 20KE family was one of Intel/Altera's MultiCore architecture devices, integrating look-up table (LUT) logic with embedded memory blocks for system-on-a-programmable-chip (SOPC) applications.
Key features of the EP20K400EBC652-3N include 16,640 logic elements, 212,992 bits of RAM, support for multiple I/O standards including LVTTL, LVCMOS, PCI, and LVDS, in-system programmability via IEEE 1532 or passive serial configuration, and four phase-locked loops (PLLs) for clock management. The MultiCore architecture integrates LUT-based logic with embedded system blocks (ESBs) that can act as either dual-port RAM, ROM, or content-addressable memory.
The device delivers up to 213 MHz internal operation per the manufacturer datasheet and supports true LVDS I/O at data rates suitable for backplane and high-speed serial applications of its era. The 0.22 µm process and 1.8 V core supply were state-of-the-art when the APEX 20KE family was introduced and remain a stable platform for legacy industrial and telecommunications designs.
Typical applications include telecommunications switching equipment, high-speed data acquisition, industrial control and automation backplanes, military/aerospace signal processing, and ASIC prototyping. The 488 user I/Os make it well-suited for bus-intensive designs requiring wide parallel interfaces.
When designing with the EP20K400EBC652-3N, careful attention must be paid to power sequencing of the 1.8 V core and I/O supply rails, signal integrity on the LVDS pairs, and thermal management of the 652-ball BGA. Configuration is performed through the dedicated JTAG or passive serial interface.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in pin-compatible same-family variants, and practical design considerations not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone, providing engineers with a complete decision reference for sourcing and replacing the EP20K400EBC652-3N.
Drop-in alternatives for EP20K400EBC652-3N — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Variants in this series
Same-series models that are drop-in compatible with EP20K400EBC652-3N (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Operating Temperature, Package, Family, Process Technology, Series.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP20K400EBC652-3
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$210 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K400EBC652-2X
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$142 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K400EBC652-2
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$60 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K400EBC652-1X
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$92 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K400EBC652-1
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$110 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K400EBC652-3N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | APEX 20KE |
| Series | APEX 20K |
| Logic Elements | 16,640 |
| System Gates | 400,000 |
| Embedded Memory (Bits) | 212,992 |
| Number of I/O Pins (User I/O) | 488 |
| Package | 652-ball BGA |
| Core Voltage | 1.8 V |
| Process Technology | 0.22 µm CMOS |
| Propagation Delay | 2.5 ns |
| Maximum Internal Frequency | 213 MHz |
| Operating Temperature | 0°C to 85°C |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Architecture | MultiCore (LUT + Embedded System Blocks) |
EP20K400EBC652-3N 652-ball bga Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP20K400EBC652-3N (652-ball bga package). This digital IC includes GPIO, communication interfaces (UART, SPI, I2C), and power pins. Refer to the manufacturer datasheet for alternate pin functions and configuration options. Essential for embedded system design and PCB layout.
No detailed pinout data available for EP20K400EBC652-3N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP20K400EBC652-3N is suitable for 6 applications: Telecommunications Switching Backplane, ASIC Prototyping and Emulation, High-Speed Data Acquisition Front-End, Industrial Control and Automation Backplane, Military and Aerospace Signal Processing, Legacy Medical Imaging Back-End.
Telecommunications Switching Backplane
The EP20K400EBC652-3N fits legacy telecom switching backplanes because its 488 user I/Os accommodate wide parallel buses (UTOPIA, POS-PHY, H.110) while 16,640 logic elements handle cell/packet processing. The 1.8 V core and 213 MHz internal frequency deliver the throughput needed for OC-48/STM-16 era line cards. MultiCore architecture embeds dual-port RAM blocks ideal for queue management. Quartus II legacy flow supports in-field firmware updates. Power: typical 1.5 W core at full utilization, requiring thermal copper pour under the 652-ball BGA. Pin-compatible drop-in: EP20K400EBC652-3 (non-RoHS variant) for legacy tin-lead assemblies.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping and Emulation
ASIC prototypes benefit from the EP20K400EBC652-3N's 400K system gates, sufficient to map large ASIC blocks for functional verification before tape-out. Embedded system blocks (212,992 bits) provide realistic memory timing for FIFO and dual-port RAM modeling. The 488 I/Os map ASIC pad-ring connectivity with minimal muxing. The -3 speed grade offers 213 MHz internal operation, enabling gate-level timing checks at production ASIC speeds. MultiCore LUT/ESB architecture supports partial reconfiguration. Trade-off: 0.22 µm process gives higher power than modern 28/16 nm alternatives but preserves proven design flow.
Recommended
High-Speed Data Acquisition Front-End
The EP20K400EBC652-3N suits high-speed data acquisition systems where 488 user I/Os support parallel LVDS/LVTTL interfaces to high-speed ADCs and digital sensor arrays. Embedded RAM (212,992 bits) implements deep capture buffers and trigger logic. Per APEX 20KE datasheet, the device supports LVDS I/O at hundreds of Mbps per pair, suitable for legacy ADC/DAC interfaces. Internal PLLs (4) provide flexible clock conditioning. The 652-ball BGA has sufficient ground/power balls for signal integrity on parallel LVDS buses.
Recommended
Industrial Control and Automation Backplane
Industrial automation backplanes use the EP20K400EBC652-3N for PLC and motion controller logic where 488 I/Os parallel-drive sensor arrays, actuator drivers, and communication interfaces (EtherCAT, Profibus legacy interfaces). Commercial temperature grade (0°C to 85°C) suits factory-floor enclosures. The MultiCore architecture integrates logic and memory blocks reducing external RAM chip count. Robust BGA package withstands industrial vibration when properly socketed or underfilled. Quartus II legacy maintenance releases remain available for long lifecycle programs.
Recommended
Military and Aerospace Signal Processing
Legacy defense signal processing subsystems rely on the EP20K400EBC652-3N for radar front-end, electronic warfare, and secure communications bitstreams. With 400K gates and 212,992 bits of embedded memory, the device handles FFT, filtering, and protocol stacks for these systems. The 652-ball BGA provides controlled-impedance signal paths required for RF shielding and signal integrity. Per Intel lifecycle notices, the APEX 20KE family is in last-time-buy, making existing qualified stocks critical for defense sustainment programs. Same-die drop-ins (-3, -2, -2X, -1, -1X) preserve bitstream compatibility for upgrades.
Recommended
Legacy Medical Imaging Back-End
Legacy medical imaging systems (CT, MRI, ultrasound back-end) use the EP20K400EBC652-3N for image reconstruction pipelines, where its embedded memory blocks (ESBs) implement dual-port line buffers and lookup tables for pixel processing. The 488 user I/Os accept parallel sensor data from analog front-ends. Commercial temperature grade (0°C to 85°C) is acceptable for controlled equipment-room environments. The MultiCore architecture permits parallel processing lanes for real-time image reconstruction. Drop-in replacement flexibility via speed-grade variants (-3, -2, -2X, -1, -1X) helps manage inventory across multiple OEM platforms.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP20K400EBC652-3N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP20K400EBC652-3 | EP20K400EBC652-2X | EP20K400EBC652-2 | EP20K400EBC652-1X | EP20K400EBC652-1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Package | 652-ball BGA | 652-ball BGA - same | 652-ball BGA - same | 652-ball BGA - same | 652-ball BGA - same | 652-ball BGA - same |
| Speed Grade | -3N | -3 | -2X (faster) | -2 | -1X (slower) | -1 (slowest) |
| Ball Finish | Lead-free (RoHS) | Tin-lead (non-RoHS) | Lead-free (RoHS) | Tin-lead (non-RoHS) | Lead-free (RoHS) | Tin-lead (non-RoHS) |
| Logic Elements | 16,640 | 16,640 | 16,640 | 16,640 | 16,640 | 16,640 |
| System Gates | 400,000 | 400,000 | 400,000 | 400,000 | 400,000 | 400,000 |
| Embedded Memory (Bits) | 212,992 | 212,992 | 212,992 | 212,992 | 212,992 | 212,992 |
| User I/O | 488 | 488 | 488 | 488 | 488 | 488 |
| Core Voltage | 1.8 V | 1.8 V | 1.8 V | 1.8 V | 1.8 V | 1.8 V |
| Approx. Unit Price (USD, qty-1) | 285.00 | 275.00 | 320.00 | 295.00 | 260.00 | 250.00 |
Key Differentiators
- Lead-free (RoHS) ball finish versus legacy tin-lead (vs EP20K400EBC652-3)
- Production-grade -3 speed grade versus faster -2X (vs EP20K400EBC652-2X)
- Higher user I/O count (488) than smaller BGA variants in the family (vs EP20K400BC652-3)
Design Notes
The EP20K400EBC652-3N requires a tightly regulated 1.8 V core supply with sequencing relative to the I/O supply (typically 3.3 V). Per the APEX 20KE datasheet, VCCINT must reach stable regulation before VCCIO ramps to prevent I/O latch-up. Decoupling: place 0.1 µF X7R ceramic capacitors within 5 mm of every power ball on the BGA; add 4.7 µF bulk capacitors around the package perimeter. Estimated core current at full 213 MHz utilization is approximately 1.5–2 A, requiring a 4-layer PCB with a dedicated power plane.
The 652-ball BGA has limited exposed thermal dissipation area compared to QFP packages. Estimated: at 1.8 V core and full I/O switching, total power dissipation can reach 2–3 W, producing a junction temperature rise of approximately 25–40 °C above ambient on a standard 4-layer PCB. For sustained high-utilization designs in elevated-ambient environments, recommend thermal vias under the BGA thermal balls and forced-air cooling, especially since the commercial temperature grade (0°C to 85°C) has a narrow operating margin.
Route LVDS pairs as 100 Ω differential microstrip on the top layer over a continuous ground plane; keep intra-pair skew under 50 mils (1.27 mm). The 488 user I/Os are arranged in banks; group I/O standards (LVTTL, LVCMOS, PCI, LVDS) per-bank to minimize level-shifter logic. Maintain continuous reference planes under BGA break-out traces to control impedance. The 652-ball BGA requires laser-drilled micro-vias or 0.5 mm-pitch via-in-pad for reliable fan-out on a 4-layer stackup.
The EP20K400EBC652-3N supports JTAG (IEEE 1532), passive serial, and passive parallel asynchronous configuration modes. For production programming, use the Altera USB-Blaster or ByteBlaster II cable with Quartus II programmer. Multi-device configuration chains are supported via the nCEO/nCE handshake pins. The configuration bitstream must be ordered for the correct speed grade (-3N vs -2X); a -3N bitstream will function in -2X silicon but with relaxed timing guarantees. Always verify the design signature after programming.
Common pitfalls: (1) using EP20K400CB652C9 (APEX 20K, 2.5 V core) as a drop-in for EP20K400EBC652-3N (APEX 20KE, 1.8 V core) — pin-compatible but different core voltage and bitstream format, will damage the 20KE silicon if 2.5 V is applied. (2) Mixing -N (RoHS) and non-N (tin-lead) ball finishes in the same assembly causes solder joint reliability issues. (3) Assuming last-time-buy parts have open factory stock — verify actual inventory before committing to a design refresh.
Compliance Information
The -3N suffix on Intel/Altera FPGAs denotes a lead-free RoHS-compliant ball finish. Commercial temperature grade (0°C to 85°C), not AEC-Q100 qualified. REACH compliance status inferred from Intel product-level statements; halogen-free status not confirmed in available data.